Apparatus for coiling strip material



June 5, 1951 H. H. TALBOT APPARATUSFOR comm STRIP MATERIAL .2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 23, 1947 INVENTOR Howard H. ulbot v26 ATTCRNEY June 5, 195] H.'H. TALBOT 2,556,149

APPARATUS FOR comma STRIP MATERIAL Howard H. Tulbot BY/QZ ATTORNEYPatented June 5, 1951 APPARATUS FOR COILING STRIP MATERIAL Howard H.Talbot, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to United Engineering & FoundryCompany, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationOctober 23, 1947, Serial No. 781,690

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for coiling strip material and,in particular, to the coiling of continuous strip metal under conditionsof high tension at the discharge side of a cold mill or the like.

In the coiling of strip metal, particularly where high tensions areinvolved, it is well known that very severe forces are built up as thenumber of convolutions increase on the reel. By reason of the fact thatthe total force is an accumulation of the individual forces caused bythe contractive effort of each layer of metal strip, the direction inwhich the force acts is radially towards the reel. Due to the magnitudeof the total force, failure of many of the reel parts,

particularly of those elements which assist in the expansion andcontraction of the reel, takes place. In order to prevent such failures,the only method advanced, up to the present time, is to provide a reelof sufiicient size which will withstand the intensive forces to beimposed thereon. It will be appreciated that such a solution to theproblem is inadequate for as the size of coil to be formed governs thesize of the reel to be used, the reel will reach such proportions as torequire considerable space for the installation thereof, be cumbersomein operation, and be expensive to manufacture as well as costly tomaintain.

As will be more fully described hereinafter,

the method as Well as the apparatus for coiling It is another object ofthis invention to provide apparatus for readily coiling strip metal asit issues from a mill and from which the completed coil can be readilyremoved for further processing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a most effectiveapparatus for coiling strip material in the practice and use of whichexpense of mill operation may be reduced to a minimum. w

These, as well as the various other objects, advantages and novelfeatures of this invention will become apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings of which:

Figure l is a side elevation sectional view of an adjustable expandingreel embodying the features of the invention herein disclosed taken atI--I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is an end elevation view of an ad justable expanding reel inthe expanded position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken at III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3 but of the reel in thecollapsed position, and

Figure 5 is a view of the hydraulic arrange inent employed for expandingand collapsing the reel.

With reference to the drawings, Figure 1 through 4, the expandable reeldriven by a motor or the like, not shown, comprises an I elongated shaftll cut away at one side thereof to provide a recess [2, within which afloating reciprocable member I 3 and segmental radially movable arcuateelements M are supported, and having an axially extending opening [5within 1 which a rotatable strip-end gripping member I6 tinues tosupport the weight of the metal coil,

is contained. Arcuate elements I4 are of the same radius as the curvedsurface portion I! of the shaft H so that when the reel is expanded, thearcuate elements together with the curved surface portion I! will formsubstantially a cylindrical surface upon which strip material may beformed into a coil 20.

Shaft ii is provided with a necked-down or journaled portion l8 receivedwithin and supported for rotation by a suitable bearing l9. Adjacent tothe bearing end of shaft H and forming an integral part thereof is a hub2| having a cylindrical recess 22 therein within which a piston 23 isconfined for reciprocation axially of the reel. Integral with and extending perpendicularly outward from shaft II is a circular lip 24 having acylindrical opening 25 within which a gland 26 is received and securedto theshaft H at the lip 24 bystuds 26c which pass through the end orface plate 21 of the gland. A piston 28, adapted to be reciprocatedaxially of the reel, is located at the outward end of the reel withincylindrical opening 29 of the gland 26. Suitable packing 3| and 32 issecured to pistons 23 and 28 at the pressure ends thereof by means ofretaining plates 33 and 34 respectively attached to the pistons by studs35.

The arcuate elements 14 are loosely supported on shaft II by a closedring 36 at the inboard end and by a U-shaped member 31 at the outboardend thereof, ring 36 being received within groove 38 of the shaft I! andgrooves 39 of the arcuate elements [4 andU-shaped member 31 secured tothe shaft by hook-shaped ends 4| fitted into holes 42 of the shaft andreceived within grooves 43 of the elements I 4; rality of guides 40,aflixed to member I3 and overlapping arcuate elements l4 at their pointsof juncture, insure that the member l3 and elements I4 will remain intheir relative positions during expansion and collapse of the reel.

On the inner portion and extending length- .wise of each of the arcuateelements l4 are formed a row of wedges 44 which are inclined at the sameangle as the groups of similar wedges 45, with which they makefrictional contact, formed on the surfaces of the reciprocablereelexpanding member I 3 as shown in the Figs. 1 and 3. A bearing plate46 is secured to the shaft ll along which the member !3 slides as it isreciprocated to and from the reel expanding position. Extendinglengthwise of the shaft 1 I is a slot into which the leading end ofstrip to be coiled is received and strip-gripping member l6 rotated sothat the enlarged cam surface 48 thereof makes contact with and locksthe strip end within the slot to prevent accidental iwithdrawaltherefrom during the coiling operaion. 7

For reciprocating piston 23 to cause the reel to expand, the hydraulicsystem therefore, as shown on Figure 5, comprises a stationary sleevemounted on the shaft II by means of bearings 52 so that the shaft can berotated relative to the sleeve, having an opening 53 extendingtherethrough communicating with a chamber 54 encircling the innersurface of the sleeve and a hydraulic inlet pipe 55 secured to thesleeve by flange 56 which carries fluid to the piston 23 through thesleeve 5! and an opening 51 in the shaft. A manually operable valve 58and adjustable pressure relief valve 59 are interposed in the hydraulicline between the sleeve 51 and the source of hydraulic power, not shown.Two sealing rings 6! are attached to the sleeve at the inboard andoutboard side by studs 62 and the assembly maintained in position by endplate 63 fastened to the end of shaft H by studs 64. The hydraulicsystem for providing axial movement of piston 28 comprises a pipe 65secured to sleeve 5! by a flange 66, with a manually controllable valve61 interposed in the line between the sleeve and source of hydraulicfluid, not shown, and opening 68 through the sleeve 5| communicatingwith the pipe 65 and a chamber 69 encircling the inner surface of thesleeve 5| which, in turn, communicates with an opening H formed in theshaft ll extending lengthwise thereof to a transverse passage !2entering the chamber of piston 28. A second bearing lea, similar tobearing l9 and spaced therefrom, supports the shaft portion 18a adjacentto the hydraulic system. Though not specifically illustrated, as it isdecmfid unnecessary to do so, any satisfactory means such as a gearkeyed to that portion of the shaft between the two bearings 19 and [9awhich meshes with a gear mounted on the shaft of a driving motor may beemployed for rotating the reel.

Operation of my improved reel in the coiling of continuous stripmaterial under conditions of high tension is essentially as follows:

The reel is expanded by opening valve 58 to admit fluid to thecylindrical recess 22 for moving piston 23 axially of the reel, thuscausing member [3 to move toward the outboard end of the reel so thatthe arcuate elements Hi, the wedges 44 of which are in communicationwith wedges 45 of member 13, are directed radially outward to the fullyexpanded position of the reel. Relief valve 59 is pre-set to withstandthe desired back pressure which may be imposed on the hydraulic systemby forces encountered by the reel during coiling. The leading end of thestrip after it has been passed through a mill or the like, where highcoiling tensions are essential, is placed in the slot 41 of the reel andstripgripping member [6 rotated by means of a hand crank or the like tobring the cam surface 48 thereof into communication with the strip tolock it in place and prevent slipping thereof during coiling.

'The'reel is slowl rotated by the power means connected thereto toinsure that the first few wraps of material are placed properly on thereel and then, depending upon the speed of the mill, rotated at thespeed desired to maintain the desired tension. As the number ofconvolutions of strip is increased upon the reel, the inwardly directedforces imposed upon the reel increase due to the contractive effort ofeach layer of material. The relief valve 59, pre-set to withstandpressures equal to those which will be encountered as soon as the coilbecomes selfsustaining, will slowly open to permit the escape of fluidtrapped in the cylindrical recess 22 at the pressure end of piston 23 sothat the reelexpanding member l3 will move toward the inboard end of thereel to cause the arcuate elements [4 to be directed radially inward,thus partially collapsing the reel.

. the forces normally directed upon the reel are transferred to the coilitself and the only forces imposed upon the reel are those incident tothe weight of the coil and the torque produced by the strip tension.Since the partial collapse of the reel takes place automatically,rotation thereof and coiling of the strip are not interrupted.

As soon as the coil of the desired size is formed, the reel is entirelycollapsed by opening valve 58 to the exhaust and adjusting valve 61 toadmit fluid to the cylindrical opening 29 so that piston 28 movesaxially of the reel to cause member IE to return to its originalposition. Thus, arcuate elements 14 are permitted to move inwardly totheir. complete reel-collapsing position and, after the strip-grippingmember i6 is released, the completed coil is withdrawn from the reel.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I haveexplained the principle and operation of my invention and haveillustrated and described what I consider to represent the bestembodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that withinthe scope of the appended claims the invention may be practicedotherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

In this manner,

I claim:

1. Apparatus for coiling strip material com-- prising a shaft, aplurality of arcuate members angularly disposed with respect to oneanother supported by said shaft, a floating reciprocable member,provided with a piston at either end thereof, disposed between saidshaft and said arcuate members adapted to cooperate with and extend saidmembers radially substantially to form a cylindrical surface togetherwith a por-- tion of the surface of said shaft, separate fluidconnections for each of said pistons through which fluid under pressuremay be admitted for reciprocating said floating member axially, and anadjustable relief valve in one of said fluid connections for limitingthe maximum back pressure imposed upon one of said pistons opposingcollapse of said reel.

2, Apparatus for coiling strip material comprising a shaft, a pluralityof arcuate members angularly disposed with respect to one anothersupported by said shaft, a floating reciprocable member provided with apiston at either end thereof disposed between said shaft and said 6arcuate members adapted to cooperate with and extend said arcuatemembers radially substantially to form a cylindrical surface togetherwith a portion of the surface of said shaft, separate fluid connectionsfor each of said pistons through which fluid under pressure may beadmitted for reciprocating said floating member axially, an adjustablerelief valve in one of said fluid connections for limiting the maximumback pressure imposed upon one of said pistons opposing the reelcollapsing forces incident to the polling of strip material upon saidreel, and releasable gripping means for securing to said reel the end ofa strip to be coiled.

HOWARD H. TALBOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,202,563 Mikaelson May 28, 19402,271,139 Holdgate et al Jan. 27, 1942

